The support for legalizing gambling in Taiwan is slowly increasing, attracting more and more attention among the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership.
Currently, gambling in Taiwan (officially known as the Republic of China) is banned under the country’s Criminal Code, since the World War II. Back in 2009, the voters approve a referendum, owing to which the outlying county islands had the right to house casinos, yet, until now, not a single island decided to take any advantage of the granted rights.
Apart from existing state-run lottery, the gambling in general is illegal on the mainland of Taiwan.
According to Bill Bryson of Global Market Advisors, DPP is ready to re-consider the issue of gambling prohibition with a serious try to end it, as Bryson comments “The DPP government… was elected on a platform of improving the economy and creating new jobs and opportunities for the people of Taiwan.”
As far as the public opinion about gambling is concerned, the residents of Taiwan are divided as the number of the supporters and opponents of introducing any changes is approximately equal, which is why the government takes an extreme caution in making any further steps in changing the current law. The only factor that cold be predominant in moving forward is the issue of increase in tourism that could follow the gambling venues.
Nevertheless, a project that could help make any changes - The Tourism Casino Administration Act (TCA) – has been hovering over all other issues untouched for three year now, while the TCA could help to create a regulatory environment allowing commercial casinos to enter the market, but the possible legislation cannot move any froward.
According to the Premier of Taiwan that was on the position three years ago - Jiang Yi-huah – if the government wishes to introduce the TCA, it must first „learn from Singapore, which applies rigid control, has set up a dedicated supervisory organization, and demands cooperation from relevant government agencies to ensure sound development and management of the industry and boost tourism and tax revenues.”
